Self-supporting golf bag



E. G. WATROUS.

SELF SUPPORTING GOLF BAG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1919.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

2 $HEETSSHEET E. G. WATROUS.

SELF SUPPORTING GOLF BAG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1919.

1,404,559. Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

6 4 2 SHhEl'S-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL G. WATROUS, OF CHICAGQ'ILLINOIS.

SELF-SUPPORTING GOLF BAG.

Application filed December 20, 1919. Serial No. 346,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL G. VVATRoUs, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Supporting Golf Bags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to self-supporting golf bags, and has for its general object to provide a golf bag with folding external legs that will collapse against the bag when the latter is being carried by the player, and that may be extended, as the bag is set upon the ground, to support the bag in convenient inclined position.

Among the objects of my inventionare to construct the legs and operating mecha nism, accessory to the golf bag for this purpose, for lightness, strength, ease of manufacture, durability, and sightliness, and to make the parts to cooperate, that the simple action of placing the toe of the bag on the ground and depressing a handle, as one tilts the bag top forward, will throw the outside legs into spread position for supporting the bag while picking up the bag will retract the legs automatically. In practice I so construct that the bag is of ordinary appearance, superficially, save only for the presence of two slender outside legs depending from the upper margin, all of the operating mechanism being compactly disposed very close to the top ring and concealed by the upper mar inal-finishingstrip of the bag. The operating mechanism I make to work without springs, positively and smoothly, causing it to function by a. change of angle between the top-ring of the bag and a center-leg or bag-leg embodied as a vertical stilfener in the ba-g-body.

In the drawings illustrating a single embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a golf bag, practically upright and with the outside legs nearl full retracted, in condition to be carr ed; ig. 2 is a similar view showing the bag in selfsupporting position with the outside legs extended; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the top-ring and leg connections; Fig. 4 is a cross section therethrough on line 44 of Fig, 3; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-43 of Fig. 3.

The body 10 of the bag may be of any suitable construction, of flesicie material.

such as canvas, provided with a stiff bottom section, 11, of metal, or more commonly,

of leather reinforced in any suitable fashion, I

and preferably provided with a toe-piece or scuff-plate 12. The top of the bag body is connected to a ring 14, that is preferably a casting, having a rear handle projection 15 and, diametrically opposite, at its front, a depending lug 16 flanked by shallow bosses 17. A center-leg or bag-leg 18 in the form of a steel rod extends from pivotal connection with the lug 16 to the bottom of the bag, where it may be riveted as at 19 to the stiff-bottom or to the toe plate 12, and for all practical puropses any stiffening element, incorporated in the bags front, that at its bottom is adapted for contact with the ground and at its top is pivoted to the ring may be regarded as constituting an effective bag-leg 18. This hag-leg can turn only on an axis parallel to the ring-plane, an is preferably covered over with a longitudinal concealing strip sewed to the bag body.

The bag body as a whole should be of such construction as to permit relative pivotal movement between the bag leg 18 and the top ring 14:, and so any further longitudinal stays or braces of the bag, typified by the rear brace 20, should be so arranged as not to interfere with flexure of the top portion of the bag body. In the specific construction shown only the single sta 20 is provided in addition to the bag leg. his stay is a rod suitably secured to the stiff bag bottom and at itsupper end telescoping into a sleeve '21 that is pivoted as at 22 to a lug 23 depending from the ring 14 under the handle 15. It will be manifest that as the bag is moved from the position shown in Fig. .1 to that shown in Fig. 2 the rear stay will telescopically shorten and its sleeve-part will turn as need be on ivot 22.

The outside legs 25, with suitab e knobs or feet 26 at their lower ends, are carried attheir upper end from the ring 14 and have such connection with the ring that their feet may be thrown forward, and also spread apart laterally,-with respect to the bottom of the bag leg 18, as the rear side or handle of the to ring is depressed from a plane substantially at right angles to the bag leg 18 to a plane that is at an acute angle to said bag leg. And furthermore the leg mountings and connections are co pacted in a space very close to the plane of the top ring, so that they may readily be concealed and protected by the ornamental leather band, or other covering that overlies the top ring and gives ornamental finish to the bag. Thus, the outside legs may be pivoted on studs fast to the center-leg in the plane of its pivotal connection with the ring, and these studs are extended at such angles that as the outside legs are rocked thereon, the feet are divergently spread. The upper ends of these outside legs are connected with the ring so that the outside legs are rocked as the ring and center leg are relatively moved, and the connections between the parts are fashionedto admit of the necessary displacements.

In the specific construction shown the bagleg 18 has a T-shaped head, generally indicated at 28, that is made in two vertically separable sections, these sections embracing the upper end of the le rod and being secured thereto, and toget er, by a screw 29 and a screw-cap 30. The transverse top or barrel portion 31 of this head is centrally cut away to straddle the lug 16 and has shaft-studs 32 jointly forming a pivot, engaging in lug 16 and with their axes at right angles to the lug. The ends of the barrel are out off obliquely as at 33 and from them, in the plane of studs 32, there project studs 34 running rearwardly somewhat, or with axes obliquel to the pivotal axis of the bag-leg. Each 0 the outer legs 25 is screwed into a casting 35 providing a hub portion 36 and a ball end 37, the hub being mounted on its shaft stud 34 and the ball-end being engaged in a cylindrical socket 38 formed in the a propriate boss 17. The ball may both sli e vertically, and turn, in the socket, and the leg-hub may slide on the stud 34, these constrained lost-motion connections constituting one convenient and desirable way of compensating for the fact that the outer legs are to turn on pivotal axes at an oblique angle to the pivotal axis of the center le i The ring may be covered, and t e bag artistically finished, with a leather trimming 40 that merges into a handle, padded or semistifl at its top and having a link 41' to give it flexibility below, the stiff part including therein the handle portion 15 of the ring. The skirt 42 of this leather finishing band may depend far enough to cover the compactly arranged operating connection of the legs and ring. A sling strap 43 may be added if desired.

In use, when the bag is carried by the handle 41 or the sling strap, the ring stands in a plane at right angle to the axis of the bag and to the bag-leg 18, but when the user, grasping the handle 41, strikes the toe-piece 12 against the ground and depressesthe handle, so throwing the ring-plane into angular relation with respect to the bag-leg 18, the bosses 17 move relatively backward abQVQ the pivotal studs 34 for the outside legs. Consequently these legs must rock on the r angularly disposed studs throwing their footends forwardly and divergently. The turning of the legs is partly accommodated by the ball-and-socket joints, the balls sliding up in the ring sockets and turning slightly therein, also it'is accommodated by the leg hubs sliding outwardly somewhat on the studs 34. Constrained lost-motion to accommodate this action may be provided for in various Ways, but the specific construction shown is desirable as a refinement because of simplicity, and from the standpoint of easy manufacture and assembly. The connections as thus made are not only compact, but rugged, and reliable in 'operation, work ing smoothly and positively in both the opening and closing operations. To close the tripod, one simply picks up the bag by the handle. Restoration of the normal relation between the ring and the bag leg positively restores the outside legs to snugly-retract position.

While I have herein described in considerable detail a particular. embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that-I do not intend to limit my invention to the precise construction shown, as many changes in construction and specific arrangement of parts .may be made without departure from my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-supporting golf bag comprising in combination a bag body flexible to. permit movement of the top ring relative to the bagleg, a top ring, a bag-leg pivoted thereto, outside legs supported from said ring and connected with said ring and said bag leg for lateral spreading movement as the top ring is pivotally displaced relative to the bag-leg.

2. In a self-supporting golf bag, the combination of a body flexible to permit movement of the top ring relative to the bag-leg, a top-ring, a bag-leg pivotally connected thereto on an axis aralleling the plane of the ring, and outsi ele 's pivoted on transverse axes at an angle to tIie bag leg axis and connected with the ring above said axes, whereby displacement of the ring with respect to the bag-leg spreads the outside legs.

3. In a self-supporting golf bag, the combination of a bag body flexible to permit movement of the top ring relative to the bag- 29 leg, a top ring having a front lug, a bag-leg pivoted to said lug and carrying pivots at an angle to its own pivotal axis, outside legs mounted on said pivots and lost-motion joints between said outside legs and the ring, above said pivots.

4. In a self supporting golf bag, the combination of a flexible bag body, a top ring having a front lug, a bag-leg pivoted to said lug and carrying pivots at an angle to its own pivotal axis, outside legs mounted on said pivots and vertically-slidable ball and socket joints between said outside legs and the ring, above said pivots.

5. In a self-supporting golf bag, the combination of a bag body, a top ring, a front leg pivotally connected with the top ring and extending to the bag bottom, a rear stay having a telescopic joint therein, pivoted to the top ring and secured to the bag bottom, and outside legs supported from the bag ring and cooperating therewith and with the front leg for lateral spreading movement as the front leg is pivotally moved with respect to the top rin 6% In a self-supporting golf-bag, the combination of a bag body, the top ring, a front leg pivotally connected with the top ring and extending to the bag bottom, a rear stay having a telescopic joint therein, pivoted to the top ring and secured to the bag bottom, and outside legs supported from the bag ring and cooperating therewith and with the front leg for lateral and forward spreading movement as the front leg is pivotally moved with respect to the top ring, said top ring having a rearwardly projecting handle.

7. In a self-supporting golf-bag, the combination of a bag body, the top ring, a front leg pivotally connected with the top ring and extending to the bag bottom, a rear stay having a telescopic joint therein, pivoted to the top ring and secured to the bag bottom, and outside legs supported from the bag ring and cooperating therewith and with the front leg for lateral and forward spreading movement as the front leg is pivotally moved with respect to the top ring, said ring having a rearwardly projecting handle, and a carrying handle havingits upper portion embracing said ring handle and its lower portion flexible.

8. In a self-supporting golf bag, a body flexible to permit movement of the top ring relative to the bag-leg, a top ring, a bag leg pivoted to the top ring a short distance below the rings plane. outside legs supported from the ring a short distance below the rings plane and cooperating with said ring and said bag leg for lateral and forward spreading motion as said bag leg is swung from normal to inclined relation with respect to the plane of the bag ring, and a finishing cover for the ring having a short pendent skirt overlying the connections of said legs with the ring to conceal and protect the same.

9. In a selfsupporting golf bag, the combination of a bag body having a relatively stiff bottom, a flexible rear side and a top ring provided with a rear handle projec tion, a stiff bagdeg pivoted to the front of said ring and extending to the bag bottom, outside legs supported from and jointed with the bag ring, said legs and rings correlated for positive lateral spreading of the outside legs as the ring is moved to inclined relation to the bag leg, and positive folding of the outside legs to substantial parallelism with the bag-leg when the ring is restored into position at right angles to the bag-leg.

10. In a selfsupporting golf bag, the combination of a bag body having a relatively stifi' bottom and a top ring provided with a handle projection, a stiff bag-leg pivoted to said ring and extending to the bag bottom, a telescopic stay connected to the bag bottom and pivoted to the ring, outside legs supported from and jointed with the bag ring, said legs and rings correlated for positive lateral spreading of the outside legs as the ring is moved to inclined relation to the bag-leg, and positive folding of the outside legs to substantial parallelism with the bag leg when the ring is restored into position at right angles to the bag-leg.

11. Hardware for a self-supporting golf bag comprising in combination a ring with a pivot-receptive portion and a portion at its rear to receive a handle, a central bagleg pivoted to said receptive portion of the ring, a pair of outside legs ointed to the ring for movement between divergent and parallel'positions, and connections between the bag-leg and said outside legs for spreading said outside legs divergently from normal parallel position when the bag-leg and ring are relatively moved from normal Eight-angle relation to oblique-angle rela- 12. Hardware for a self-supporting golf bag comprising in combination a top ring having pivot-receptive provision at its front and handle-provision at its rear, a rear-stay connected to the rear portion of the ring and itself having portions longitudinally movable to vary the stay-length, an inextensible bag-leg pivoted to the front rece tive portion of the ring, a pair of outsi e legs jointed to the ring normally to stand in substantial parallelism to each other and movable for divergent spread, and connections between the"bag-leg and the outside legs for positive spreading of the latter as the angular relation between the bag-leg and said ring is changed from normal right angle relation to oblique angle relation.

13. In a self-supporting golf bag the combination of a bag body, a front leg extending along the front of the bag, outside legs normally substantially paralleling the front leg and each other movable to divergent spread position with respect to said front leg and each other, a handle extendin along and connected with the rear side 0 the bag body and having a stiffened portion, and operative connections between said stiffened portion of said handle and the said several legs for positively spreading and folding the legs as said handle is appropriately moved with respect to said bagle 14. In a self-supporting golf bag the combination of a bag body having a relatively stifi' bottom, a bag-leg connected with said bottom and extending substantially to the top of the bag along its front, a carrying handle secured to the rear of the bag near the top thereof and having a relatively stifi to said bag-leg. EARL G. WATROUS. 

